The Diocesan Choir was formed in January 2019 from a select group of auditioned singers from parishes across the Diocese of Calgary. While the choir aims towards a high musical standard, the focus is on serving liturgical and pastoral priorities. The role of music in Catholic liturgy is to “sing the liturgy” rather than singing in the liturgy. Therefore, liturgical plainchant in both English and Latin is a priority of the choir. The choir also has a repertoire of metered hymnody and contemporary liturgical music as well as choral sacred music.
The choir sings for all major diocesan liturgies. Additional opportunities for singing may arise that involve the entire choir or else smaller groups made up of diocesan choir members based on availability and interest.
Liturgies
Since its formation, the choir has sung for the following liturgies:
Membership
The choir looks for members who have a unique combination of musical literacy, choral blend, and interest in learning about liturgy and liturgical music. Commitment to the rehearsal and liturgy schedule is also required. The choir rehearses approximately twice a month on Monday evenings from 7 pm to 9 pm at St. Mary’s Cathedral.
Membership benefits include:
Auditions
Auditions are held in September and occasionally at other times of year. If you are eager to join the choir outside of the September audition, please contact the Office of Liturgy to discuss whether there is an opening for your voice type. Those who audition should have:
Leadership
Choir Director: Lia O’Hara, M.A.
Lia started her liturgical music ministry as a trained organist and choir director in Jakarta, Indonesia before moving to Canada in 1998 and serving as pianist and choir director for St. Joseph’s Parish in Calgary. Lia sang for numerous choirs in Calgary including Mount Royal Kantorei and Calgary Philharmonic Chorus before starting her post-graduate studies at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago where she completed her Master of Arts degree in Pastoral Studies with a focus on liturgical ministry. It was during this time that Lia's love for sacred and liturgical music brought her to a new appreciation for Gregorian chant and sacred polyphony in the liturgy. She is the founding director of a small choral ensemble, Adorare, specializing in sacred and liturigcal music, especially chant and sacred polyphony. Adorare has provided musical leadership for numerous liturgies across the diocese over the past 3 years and had represented Catholic sacred music at various ecumenical and interfaith musical events in Calgary. Lia worked for 10 years in the Office of Liturgy where she assisted in the preparation of diocesan liturgies and took a leadership role in liturgical music. During this time, she led various sessions for pastoral musician formation on topics such as liturgical music judgements, cantor/psalmist formation, antiphons, and plainchant singing. Lia is currently a member of the National Hymnal Committee, an appointed group of recommended individuals from across Canada mandated to work on the content and structure of the new National Hymnal, Music for Catholic Worship, the successor of CBW III. She also served as the chair on the executive for the Western Conference of Liturgy from 2015 to 2018. Currently Lia works for the Diocesan Office of Communications as Communications Coordinator, specializing in digital media. She is excited to join the leadership team of the new Diocesan Choir and looking forward to work with fellow liturgical musicians in the diocese.
Assistant Choir Director: Valerie DeGagne, B.Ed., ARCT
Valerie has studied voice since the mid 1980’s, receiving the Silver Medal from the Royal Conservatory of Toronto for her Grade Ten Singing Exam results. She was awarded an ARCT degree in Singing Performance in 1993. Val holds a Bachelor of Education from the University of Calgary and was with the Calgary Catholic School District from 1985 to 2018 in the capacities of Classroom Teacher, Music Specialist, Coordinating Teacher and Assistant Principal. She was a finalist for the Alberta Excellence in Teaching Award. During her sabbatical year, Valerie studied Choral Conducting at the Masters level with Malcolm Edwards at the University of Calgary, assisting with the University Chorus and singing with the U of C Women’s Choir. Valerie has been the Music Coordinator at St. Luke Church since 1999 and also directs the 7:30 pm Sunday Evening Choir. She is the past Chair of both the Diocesan Sacred Music Committee and the Diocesan Liturgical Commission and has been a co-presenter at many workshops on various music liturgy topics throughout the Diocese during her time with these two Committees. Valerie was the co-organizer and conductor of the Diocesan Core Choir when it was created in 2012. Since then she has directed many Diocesan Celebrations and, in 2018, was honoured to direct the Diocesan Chrism Mass. Valerie looks forward to her role in the formation of the new Diocesan Choir and is excited to be working with Lia O’Hara and Dr. Simone Brosig on this innovative initiative.
If you have any questions, please call 403-218-5511
or email lia.ohara@calgarydiocese.ca
The choir sings for all major diocesan liturgies. Additional opportunities for singing may arise that involve the entire choir or else smaller groups made up of diocesan choir members based on availability and interest.
Liturgies
Since its formation, the choir has sung for the following liturgies:
- 2019 Ordination to the Priesthood
- 2019 Mass for Life
- 2019 Chrism Mass
- 2019 Miscarriage Liturgy
- 2019 & 2020 Rite of Election
Membership
The choir looks for members who have a unique combination of musical literacy, choral blend, and interest in learning about liturgy and liturgical music. Commitment to the rehearsal and liturgy schedule is also required. The choir rehearses approximately twice a month on Monday evenings from 7 pm to 9 pm at St. Mary’s Cathedral.
Membership benefits include:
- two workshops a year that will focus on an aspect of musicianship or liturgy
- develop the ability to blend and sing as one voice, which is especially important in the singing of plainchant.
- experience with Pontifical liturgies and what distinguishes them from parish liturgies as well as a wider range of liturgical experiences than what are usually available at the parish church
- repertoire and choral skills to take back to their own parishes
- some members will be trained as Psalmists and cantors
Auditions
Auditions are held in September and occasionally at other times of year. If you are eager to join the choir outside of the September audition, please contact the Office of Liturgy to discuss whether there is an opening for your voice type. Those who audition should have:
- the ability to sight sing as members are expected to prepare their part in advance rehearsals
- the ability to blend with the voices of others
- strong musicality
- a willingness to follow direction, a positive attitude, and a cooperative disposition
Leadership
Choir Director: Lia O’Hara, M.A.
Lia started her liturgical music ministry as a trained organist and choir director in Jakarta, Indonesia before moving to Canada in 1998 and serving as pianist and choir director for St. Joseph’s Parish in Calgary. Lia sang for numerous choirs in Calgary including Mount Royal Kantorei and Calgary Philharmonic Chorus before starting her post-graduate studies at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago where she completed her Master of Arts degree in Pastoral Studies with a focus on liturgical ministry. It was during this time that Lia's love for sacred and liturgical music brought her to a new appreciation for Gregorian chant and sacred polyphony in the liturgy. She is the founding director of a small choral ensemble, Adorare, specializing in sacred and liturigcal music, especially chant and sacred polyphony. Adorare has provided musical leadership for numerous liturgies across the diocese over the past 3 years and had represented Catholic sacred music at various ecumenical and interfaith musical events in Calgary. Lia worked for 10 years in the Office of Liturgy where she assisted in the preparation of diocesan liturgies and took a leadership role in liturgical music. During this time, she led various sessions for pastoral musician formation on topics such as liturgical music judgements, cantor/psalmist formation, antiphons, and plainchant singing. Lia is currently a member of the National Hymnal Committee, an appointed group of recommended individuals from across Canada mandated to work on the content and structure of the new National Hymnal, Music for Catholic Worship, the successor of CBW III. She also served as the chair on the executive for the Western Conference of Liturgy from 2015 to 2018. Currently Lia works for the Diocesan Office of Communications as Communications Coordinator, specializing in digital media. She is excited to join the leadership team of the new Diocesan Choir and looking forward to work with fellow liturgical musicians in the diocese.
Assistant Choir Director: Valerie DeGagne, B.Ed., ARCT
Valerie has studied voice since the mid 1980’s, receiving the Silver Medal from the Royal Conservatory of Toronto for her Grade Ten Singing Exam results. She was awarded an ARCT degree in Singing Performance in 1993. Val holds a Bachelor of Education from the University of Calgary and was with the Calgary Catholic School District from 1985 to 2018 in the capacities of Classroom Teacher, Music Specialist, Coordinating Teacher and Assistant Principal. She was a finalist for the Alberta Excellence in Teaching Award. During her sabbatical year, Valerie studied Choral Conducting at the Masters level with Malcolm Edwards at the University of Calgary, assisting with the University Chorus and singing with the U of C Women’s Choir. Valerie has been the Music Coordinator at St. Luke Church since 1999 and also directs the 7:30 pm Sunday Evening Choir. She is the past Chair of both the Diocesan Sacred Music Committee and the Diocesan Liturgical Commission and has been a co-presenter at many workshops on various music liturgy topics throughout the Diocese during her time with these two Committees. Valerie was the co-organizer and conductor of the Diocesan Core Choir when it was created in 2012. Since then she has directed many Diocesan Celebrations and, in 2018, was honoured to direct the Diocesan Chrism Mass. Valerie looks forward to her role in the formation of the new Diocesan Choir and is excited to be working with Lia O’Hara and Dr. Simone Brosig on this innovative initiative.
If you have any questions, please call 403-218-5511
or email lia.ohara@calgarydiocese.ca